How to Have a Conversation That Moves Women and Girls Forward

We’ve seen the impact that the Covid-19 crisis has had on women. Years of progress have been reversed. Nearly 3 million American women have left the workplace over the past year in a pandemic exodus. Continued pay inequality and predated notions of caregiving have meant that women across America have not been sufficiently supported in today’s largely virtual working environment. And according to the Women in Work study launched by PwC this week, which looks at female economic empowerment in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development], we will need to double the historic speed of our efforts to recover by 2030.

Go beyond what is in

It is not a mere social media moment or a superficial, internal celebration of the few women in power that a company might have to make us all feel better. We need sustained action, and we must put a stop to femwashing.

Clearly, there isn’t a brand playbook because if there were, surely, we’d be further forward? However, there are some simple considerations to challenge the way we’ve approached women’s empowerment:

First, consider the task in context. The world is fundamentally different from the time in which IWD was first conceived back in 1908, when women first marched to demand equality. And it’s not the same as it was when the day was first recognized by the United Nations in 1975. It’s also much different than it was a year ago, before this pandemic gripped the world and set us back so significantly. But have our tactics changed sufficiently to adapt to today’s context? Have we embraced today’s modern technology to drive new action and behaviors? Or are we guilty of wanting to be seen to do something as opposed to actually making a real difference?

The pandemic has been a catalyst for so many brand owners to challenge their purpose, recognizing its power to guide decisions through the crisis in the absence of precedents. Purpose should guide the choices we make to support women, and we should be using March 8 to scrutinize what permissions purpose gives a brand to instigate authentic, meaningful action.

Barclays’ support of the U.K. Women’s Super League is a demonstration of a brand living up to its purpose—supporting opportunities to rise—through supporting a growing sport, from the grassroots up. The brand is not only celebrating women in sport, but it has also recognized that team sport gives girls confidence, which, in turn, helps them grow into economically empowered women. In fact, a recent study from CNBC found that more than 90% of senior female execs had sport in their lives as girls, and that figure rises to 96% for female CEOs. Brand owners should challenge themselves to be clear about who they have the most power to influence and how to support the distinct needs of that group. For example, Huggies’ support of the National Diaper Bank is a great example of a brand taking action in a meaningful way, in line with its brand purpose, in service of the customers they support.

If you are a brand owner serving the male half of the population, you are not off the hook, either. How can you use your platform in support of a more equal society? Can your brand call a halt to the casual sexism that still pervades the workplace of today? It’s time to start thinking how your brand can start a conversation that moves women and girls forward in society, instead of holding them back.

With so much work to be done to achieve gender equality, it is simply not enough to celebrate women on International Women’s Day or contribute to yet another social conversation. We need to act. We need to #ChooseToChallenge and ignite some real, meaningful action.